| Let's see what Sarkozy does about this one ... |
YAOUNDE (AFP) -- West African rebels threatened Friday to kill 10 oil workers, including six Frenchmen, taken hostage in a pre-dawn pirate attack on an industry support vessel working off the coast of Cameroon.
A group opposed to Cameroon's takeover of the Bakassi Peninsula warned that the captives would be killed one by one from Monday unless the government agreed to reopen talks on the oil-rich territory's status. "They are in good condition. We will provide them with a good treatment, but their conditions will deteriorate in three days," a fighter calling himself Brigadier Akipee of the Bakassi Freedom Fighters told AFP by telephone. "I will start killing them one by one on Monday, and I mean one by one," he said. "The people of Bakassi are suffering. They must be given the opportunity for self-determination. We want self-determination."
French foreign ministry spokesman Romain Nadal reacted cautiously. "We are aware of this claim, but we're trying to confirm its authenticity. We are doing everything to ensure the safety and freedom of our citizens as quickly as possible," he said.| Diplomacy: the fine art of saying 'nice doggie' while you look about for a rock ... |
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